| RELATING TO FOSSIL FUELS. Prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from issuing a certificate of public convenience and necessity for new electrical generation facilities that can only use fossil fuels as their energy source. Our thoughts: This bill was introduced by the Governor/Hanabusa. This bill would still allow the same fossil fuel generators to be installed as long as they could burn biofuels. The source of many biofuels in the world is not sustainable, can be destructive to the environment, may compete with food sources, and is likely to still be an expensive source of fuel when petroleum prices rise. We recommend against this bill and do not believe that it presents real solutions.
| ENE, CPN | |
| RELATING TO FOSSIL FUELS. Restricts any new construction of or expansion of existing fossil-fueled, electricity-generating facilities unless the electric utility company can demonstrate compliance with the renewable energy portfolio standards. Our thoughts: This bill was introduced by GABBARD, HEMMINGS, HOOSER, et.al. This bill is slightly better than the prior in that it would not allow new fossil fuel generators of greater than 2MW unless a utility demonstrates present compliance with, and a reasonable projection for future compliance with renewable energy portfolio standards (REPS). The problem is "projection of future compliance with REPS" leaves a lot of room for a utility to go ahead and install a new fossil fuel generator counter to unrealized future promises toward renewable energy generation. It's a slightly better bill than the Governor's, but not by much. This bill might be better if only present compliance (with the standards enumerated) and not future compliance with REPS were allowed as the exception for a new fossil fuel generator. This bill has potential with amendments to address the problem, but as written it is not a problem solver.
| ENE, CPN | |
| PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XI, SECTION 8 OF THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION, TO PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PETROLEUM, COAL, AND NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE STATE WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE. Proposes a constitutional amendment banning the construction of new petroleum, coal, and nuclear power plants within the State without the approval of two-thirds of each house of the legislature. Our thoughts: This bill was introduced by HOOSER, et.al. If passed by the Legislature, this would be a constitutional amendment to be voted upon in the next general election. This bill would be more solid in excluding new fossil fuel generators, assuming it could receive a majority of the public's vote, with the exception that would allow a new fossil fuel generator requiring a 2/3rd's vote of both houses of the legislature, a higher exception standard than the other two bills. That exception standard we find acceptable. The only problem we see with this bill is that it does not recognize the safe, positive potential of liquid thorium nuclear energy as opposed to uranium-based nuclear energy. We believe this is a material oversight in current law and with this bill, if unamended. Nevertheless, the worst this would be is a lost opportunity. Otherwise, this bill is the best of the three, assuming the voters agree. |
February 8, 2010
Evaluating Hawaii's No Fossil Fuel Generator Bills
Tomorrow there are 3 bills being considered regarding banning utility scale fossil fuel generators. Our brief evaluation of each follows:
KIUC moves to increase already high debt level
From: http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/article_477142b2-147b-11df-b4ff-001cc4c002e0.html
"KIUC moves to increase its debt limit"
Sullivan: Long-term plan doesn’t account enough for efficiency
by Coco Zickos - The Garden Island | February 8, 2010
LIHU‘E — Consumers are changing the way they utilize energy, says Brad Parsons of Kauaians for a Bright Energy Future.
This is exactly why he agrees with Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative first-year Board of Directors member Ben Sullivan’s decision to vote against the co-op’s 10-Year Financial Forecast at the board’s meeting Jan. 26. The forecast was approved by a 6-to-1 vote.
The load growth forecast was part of the required application process for KIUC to qualify for a $168 million loan that follows a four-year construction plan, KIUC President and CEO Randy Hee said Sunday. The Construction Work Plan includes transmission line work, renewable energy projects and a Kapaia facility which would have the ability to generate energy from petroleum or biodiesel fuels...
The additional loan amount would bump KIUC’s debt limit up from $350 million to $525 million.
Predicting continued load growth “assumes the trends of the old economy from two years ago and beyond,” Parsons said...
Parsons and others continue to point at how people are historically changing their ways. They are using their cars differently, development is not “continuing like it did in the past,” and visitor numbers are declining, he said.
Last week Reuters reported that industrialized, wealthy countries “will never return to 2006 and 2007 levels” of oil use “because of more fuel efficiency and the use of alternatives,” according to the International Energy Agency’s chief economist...
The projection assumes pretty aggressive growth, Sullivan said during the board meeting. The question is what will happen if the growth does not actually occur as planned?
The impact of efficiency is not entirely being accounted for, he said...
>>>Rest of Article>>>
"KIUC moves to increase its debt limit"
Sullivan: Long-term plan doesn’t account enough for efficiency
by Coco Zickos - The Garden Island | February 8, 2010
LIHU‘E — Consumers are changing the way they utilize energy, says Brad Parsons of Kauaians for a Bright Energy Future.
This is exactly why he agrees with Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative first-year Board of Directors member Ben Sullivan’s decision to vote against the co-op’s 10-Year Financial Forecast at the board’s meeting Jan. 26. The forecast was approved by a 6-to-1 vote.
The load growth forecast was part of the required application process for KIUC to qualify for a $168 million loan that follows a four-year construction plan, KIUC President and CEO Randy Hee said Sunday. The Construction Work Plan includes transmission line work, renewable energy projects and a Kapaia facility which would have the ability to generate energy from petroleum or biodiesel fuels...
The additional loan amount would bump KIUC’s debt limit up from $350 million to $525 million.
Predicting continued load growth “assumes the trends of the old economy from two years ago and beyond,” Parsons said...
Parsons and others continue to point at how people are historically changing their ways. They are using their cars differently, development is not “continuing like it did in the past,” and visitor numbers are declining, he said.
Last week Reuters reported that industrialized, wealthy countries “will never return to 2006 and 2007 levels” of oil use “because of more fuel efficiency and the use of alternatives,” according to the International Energy Agency’s chief economist...
The projection assumes pretty aggressive growth, Sullivan said during the board meeting. The question is what will happen if the growth does not actually occur as planned?
The impact of efficiency is not entirely being accounted for, he said...
>>>Rest of Article>>>
Global Wind Installation Stats
From: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/02/04/china-edges-u-s-in-2009-wind-installations/
February 4, 2010
"China Edges U.S. in 2009 Wind Installations"
At 13,000 megawatts of new wind energy installed, China led all nations in adding wind turbines in 2009, according to the Global Wind Energy Council.
The U.S. installed 9,922 MW worth, followed by Spain at 2,459 MW, Germany at 1,917 MW and India at 1,271 MW.
The U.S. retains the top spot in cumulative wind energy capacity, at 35,159 MW, or 22 percent of the world’s wind energy capacity. (See charts below) >>>Rest of Article>>>
Click on images to enlarge.
Charts credit: Environmental Leader
February 4, 2010
"China Edges U.S. in 2009 Wind Installations"
At 13,000 megawatts of new wind energy installed, China led all nations in adding wind turbines in 2009, according to the Global Wind Energy Council.
The U.S. installed 9,922 MW worth, followed by Spain at 2,459 MW, Germany at 1,917 MW and India at 1,271 MW.
The U.S. retains the top spot in cumulative wind energy capacity, at 35,159 MW, or 22 percent of the world’s wind energy capacity. (See charts below) >>>Rest of Article>>>
Click on images to enlarge.
Charts credit: Environmental LeaderEffort Seeks Cap and Trade for non-CO2 Emissions
From: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/02/05/bipartisan-senatorial-effort-seeks-cap-and-trade-for-non-co2-ghgs/
February 5, 2010
"Bipartisan Senatorial Effort Seeks Cap and Trade for non-CO2 Emissions"
A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation that would limit emissions of sulfur dioxide, mercury and nitrogen oxide, but not carbon dioxide.
The bill also would set up a cap and trade system for permits for those gases, reports Reuters.
The legislation would apply to power plants and other large emissions sources. It would cut mercury emissions from coal-fired plants 90 percent by 2015, sulfur dioxide 80 percent by 2018 and nitrogen dioxide 53 percent by 2015, reports AFP.
Thomas Carper (D-Del.) introduced the legislation, which was cosponsored by Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).
Carper said that legal challenges have prevented the Environmental Protection Agency from effectively regulating sulfur dioxide, mercury and nitrogen oxide.
His bill would expand the Clean Air Act to mandate reductions of those gases, which cause smog and acid rain.
Alexander opposes CO2 emissions capping, but said that the other gases should be regulated, reports the Tennessean...>>>Rest of Article>>>
February 5, 2010
"Bipartisan Senatorial Effort Seeks Cap and Trade for non-CO2 Emissions"
A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation that would limit emissions of sulfur dioxide, mercury and nitrogen oxide, but not carbon dioxide.
The bill also would set up a cap and trade system for permits for those gases, reports Reuters.
The legislation would apply to power plants and other large emissions sources. It would cut mercury emissions from coal-fired plants 90 percent by 2015, sulfur dioxide 80 percent by 2018 and nitrogen dioxide 53 percent by 2015, reports AFP.
Thomas Carper (D-Del.) introduced the legislation, which was cosponsored by Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).
Carper said that legal challenges have prevented the Environmental Protection Agency from effectively regulating sulfur dioxide, mercury and nitrogen oxide.
His bill would expand the Clean Air Act to mandate reductions of those gases, which cause smog and acid rain.
Alexander opposes CO2 emissions capping, but said that the other gases should be regulated, reports the Tennessean...>>>Rest of Article>>>
Fraud Besets E.U. Carbon Trade System
From: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/business/energy-environment/08green.html
"Fraud Besets E.U. Carbon Trade System"
By JAMES KANTER February 8, 2010
BRUSSELS — Carbon markets have had a rocky ride since trading began five years ago in the European Union.
The latest bump came last month, when swindlers used faked e-mail messages to obtain access codes for individual accounts on national registries that make up the bloc’s Emission Trading System.
Traders and companies who fell for the ploy on Jan. 28 were directed to a rogue Web site and invited to enter their security codes — a practice known as “phishing” in the jargon of the Internet.
The swindlers used the stolen codes to gain access to electronic certificates that represent quantities of greenhouse gases. They then sold the certificates through trading accounts registered in Denmark and Britain...>>>Rest of Article>>>
And more on this whole socialist cap-and-trade Bull$hi+ and where the idea comes from, Britain:
From: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aMIMr2qleBw8
"U.K. Lawmakers Call for Intervention in Carbon Market"
By Catherine Airlie and Ewa Krukowska
Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Europe needs stricter limits on greenhouse gases and the power to intervene in carbon markets as its cap-and-trade program fails to encourage investments in cleaner energy, U.K. lawmakers said today in a report.
Restrictions on factories and utilities in the European Union are too lax, depressing carbon prices and undermining incentives for polluters to give up fossil fuels, the U.K. Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee said in the report. The EU emissions market, the world’s biggest, faces a 2.3 percent oversupply of permits for the five years through 2012 after the recession cut demand, a Bloomberg News survey showed...>>>Rest of Article>>>
"Fraud Besets E.U. Carbon Trade System"
By JAMES KANTER February 8, 2010
BRUSSELS — Carbon markets have had a rocky ride since trading began five years ago in the European Union.
The latest bump came last month, when swindlers used faked e-mail messages to obtain access codes for individual accounts on national registries that make up the bloc’s Emission Trading System.
Traders and companies who fell for the ploy on Jan. 28 were directed to a rogue Web site and invited to enter their security codes — a practice known as “phishing” in the jargon of the Internet.
The swindlers used the stolen codes to gain access to electronic certificates that represent quantities of greenhouse gases. They then sold the certificates through trading accounts registered in Denmark and Britain...>>>Rest of Article>>>
And more on this whole socialist cap-and-trade Bull$hi+ and where the idea comes from, Britain:
From: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aMIMr2qleBw8
"U.K. Lawmakers Call for Intervention in Carbon Market"
By Catherine Airlie and Ewa Krukowska
Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Europe needs stricter limits on greenhouse gases and the power to intervene in carbon markets as its cap-and-trade program fails to encourage investments in cleaner energy, U.K. lawmakers said today in a report.
Restrictions on factories and utilities in the European Union are too lax, depressing carbon prices and undermining incentives for polluters to give up fossil fuels, the U.K. Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee said in the report. The EU emissions market, the world’s biggest, faces a 2.3 percent oversupply of permits for the five years through 2012 after the recession cut demand, a Bloomberg News survey showed...>>>Rest of Article>>>
Energy Bills coming up this Tues. Feb. 9th in the Hawaii Legislature
Can testify on these bills at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/emailtestimony/
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION |
| DATE: | Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
| TIME: | 9:30a.m. |
| RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY. Exempts renewable energy systems of two megawatts or greater from the general excise tax on wholesale and retail transactions from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015.
| EEP, FIN | |
| RELATING TO CLEAN ENERGY BONDS. Establishes a property assessed clean energy bond financing program for renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvements on residential and commercial properties, and authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to finance the program.
| EEP, FIN |
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT |
| DATE: | Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
| TIME: | 3:00 p.m. |
| RELATING TO CLEAN ENERGY BONDS. Establishes a Hawaii Clean Energy Investment Bond Program for renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvements on residential and commercial properties, and authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to finance the program.
| ENE, WAM | |
| RELATING TO CLEAN ENERGY BONDS. Establishes a property assessed clean energy bond financing program for renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvements on residential and commercial properties, and authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to finance the program.
| ENE, WAM | |
| RELATING TO FOSSIL FUELS. Prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from issuing a certificate of public convenience and necessity for new electrical generation facilities that can only use fossil fuels as their energy source.
| ENE, CPN | |
| RELATING TO FOSSIL FUELS. Restricts any new construction of or expansion of existing fossil-fueled, electricity-generating facilities unless the electric utility company can demonstrate compliance with the renewable energy portfolio standards.
| ENE, CPN | |
| PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XI, SECTION 8 OF THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION, TO PROHIBIT THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PETROLEUM, COAL, AND NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE STATE WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE. Proposes a constitutional amendment banning the construction of new petroleum, coal, and nuclear power plants within the State without the approval of two-thirds of each house of the legislature.
| ENE, JGO |
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION, BUSINESS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS |
| DATE: | Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
| TIME: | 8:30AM |
| RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. Requires businesses in the State to collect an offset fee for each plastic disposable checkout bag distributed to customers.
| EEP, EBM, FIN |
Top British scientist says IPCC is losing credibility
From: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/02/06/the-times-top-british-scientist-says-ipcc-is-losing-credibility/
The Times: Top British scientist says IPCC is losing credibility 02 06, 2010
The Times: Top British scientist says IPCC is losing credibility 02 06, 2010
Scientist says IPCC claims about African rainfall reductions due to global warming have no supporting data.
A LEADING British government scientist has warned the United Nations’ climate panel to tackle its blunders or lose all credibility.
Robert Watson, chief scientist at Defra, the environment ministry, who chaired the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from 1997 to 2002, was speaking after more potential inaccuracies emerged in the IPCC’s 2007 benchmark report on global warming.
The most important is a claim that global warming could cut rain-fed north African crop production by up to 50% by 2020, a remarkably short time for such a dramatic change. The claim has been quoted in speeches by Rajendra Pachauri, the IPCC chairman, and by Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general.
This weekend Professor Chris Field, the new lead author of the IPCC’s climate impacts team, told The Sunday Times that he could find nothing in the report to support the claim. The revelation follows the IPCC’s retraction of a claim that the Himalayan glaciers might all melt by 2035.
The African claims could be even more embarrassing for the IPCC because they appear not only in its report on climate change impacts but, unlike the glaciers claim, are also repeated in its Synthesis Report.
This report is the IPCC’s most politically sensitive publication, distilling its most important science into a form accessible to politicians and policy makers. Its lead authors include Pachauri himself.
In it he wrote: “By 2020, in some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%. Agricultural production, including access to food, in many African countries is projected to be severely compromised.” The same claims have since been cited in speeches to world leaders by Pachauri and Ban.
Speaking at the 2008 global climate talks in Poznan, Poland, Pachauri said: “In some countries of Africa, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by 50% by 2020.” In a speech last July, Ban said: “Yields from rain-fed agriculture could fall by half in some African countries over the next 10 years.”
Speaking this weekend, Field said: “I was not an author on the Synthesis Report but on reading it I cannot find support for the statement about African crop yield declines.”
Watson said such claims should be based on hard evidence. “Any such projection should be based on peer-reviewed literature from computer modelling of how agricultural yields would respond to climate change. I can see no such data supporting the IPCC report,” he said.
Read the entire article at The Times here
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